


A Different Sort of Second Chance

by GeckoGirl89



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Awkwardness, Background Stan/Rachel, Divorce, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gen, Post-Episode: s07e20 Huikau Na Makau A Ka Lawai'a (The Fishhooks of the Fishers Become Entangled), Supportive Danny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-05
Updated: 2017-05-05
Packaged: 2018-10-28 07:02:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10826199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeckoGirl89/pseuds/GeckoGirl89
Summary: Friend.Danny let that word settle in his heart and decided that he liked the shape of it, the warm and comforting feeling that it gave him. It reflected everything he felt, the new place Rachel occupied in his life despite their tumultuous history together.





	A Different Sort of Second Chance

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the following comment-fic prompt (http://comment-fic.livejournal.com/812016.html?thread=103241968#t103241968): "Hawaii Five-0 - Danny and Rachel Williams - second chance"
> 
> I'm not a Danny/Rachel shipper by any means, but I am okay with them developing a tentative friendship as long as they don't get back together romantically. I do think Danny would be there for Rachel right after the divorce, since he's a good enough man to care about Rachel despite their history and would naturally be concerned about how the divorce would impact his kids.

Danny stood outside the doorway as Rachel explained to Grace and Charlie that Stan would no longer be a part of their lives. He watched Grace's eyes fill with tears as she went through the second divorce in her life. It had been hard for her the first time, when Danny and Rachel had to explain that they would no longer be together, so long ago. Grace was older now, but that only meant that she had learned how to conceal her devastation. Danny knew his monkey well enough to see that she was trying to hold it together for her mom and little brother.

Charlie was openly weeping, and Danny understood why. Until a couple of years ago, Stan had been the only father Charlie had ever known. Danny still felt the sting of bitterness when he thought about about the years that he had missed with Charlie, but right now it was drowned out by concern for the three people in that room.  
  
Grace wrapped her arm around Charlie in a protective gesture and Rachel directed a weak smile at the both of them and tried to reassure them that things would be alright, although they would change. Danny wished, futilely, that he could be the one to explain things to Grace and Charlie, if only to ease some of that burden from her shoulders. He knew from experience just how hard it was to maintain a calm demeanor when you felt like your own world was falling apart. But he also knew that Rachel needed to be the one to talk to Grace and Charlie.  
  
Rachel glanced away from the kids for only a brief moment to shoot a grateful look at Danny. Danny smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring manner and let out a weary sigh when she had focused her attention back on the kids. Stan's words were coming back to him, and Danny again considered if Rachel was still in love with him. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about it since his conversation with Stan the previous day. The thing that confused Danny most was that he didn't feel the urge to get back together with Rachel. His heart raced when Stan shared his thoughts, but it was due to anxiety rather than anticipation. Years ago, he would have given anything for a second chance with Rachel, but too much had changed between them since then. Too much had changed within him, and, as much as Danny wanted to be there for Rachel, he didn't want to be _with_ Rachel anymore.  
  
Danny broke out of his contemplation when Rachel stood up, her conversation with the children apparently finished. She kissed them both goodnight on the forehead and left the room. As she softly shut the door behind her, she turned to Danny with a pained grimace.  
  
"Well, I suppose that's done then," she said.  
  
Danny shrugged awkwardly. "Guess so."  
  
Rachel sighed and walked past Danny towards the living room. She collapsed on the sofa, as if that short journey had exhausted her. Danny followed her and joined her on the couch, leaving a cushion seat between them.  
  
Danny fidgeted with his hands. "Is... uh... is there anything I can do?"  
  
Rachel shook her head and released a brief laugh. "I suppose a cup of tea would be nice."  
  
Danny nodded. "Yeah, I can do that."  
  
It took a few minutes to make the tea. Danny was still surprised that he remembered, considering that he hadn't made tea for anyone in a long time, but he supposed that there were some things you never forgot.  
  
When he returned with the tea, Rachel's eyes were red and watery. She had obviously been crying, but Danny decided not to comment on it. He silently offered her the tea, and she took it with a thankful smile.  
  
For several moments, Rachel drank her tea in silence and Danny studied her. She was staring blankly ahead at the television, which wasn't on, and the emptiness and sorrow in her eyes was devastating. No matter what Stan had thought, Rachel had clearly loved him. Danny only needed to observe her now, after the divorce was finalized and she wasn't trying to hide her pain for the sake of the kids, to understand that.  
  
When Rachel finished her tea, she settled it down on a coaster on the side table next to the couch, drew in a deep breath, and turned to face Danny.  
  
"I really appreciate this, Daniel."

Danny chuckled. "It was just a cup of tea."

She shook her head. "No, that's not what I meant. I appreciate you being here for me, being my friend during this difficult time."

 _Friend._ Danny let that word settle in his heart and decided that he liked the shape of it, the warm and comforting feeling that it gave him. It reflected everything he felt, the new place Rachel occupied in his life despite their tumultuous history together. It encapsulated how he still cared about her and was concerned for her even if he was no longer in love with her.   
  
Danny smiled at her. "Well, I'm here for you, if you need to talk or anything."

Rachel frowned. "Wouldn't that be a bit awkward, considering...?"  
  
Rachel was right; it would be awkward. The fact that they were now friends after everything they had been through was awkward as well, and it was certainly complicated by their history. Hearing about her and Stan would be uncomfortable, to say the least, but Rachel would probably need to talk to someone eventually.  
  
Before Danny figured out how to respond, Rachel yawned and relaxed her head against the back of the couch. "I'm kind of tired, anyway. Perhaps you could keep me company for a bit while I watched the telly?" Rachel cast a hopeful, nervous look towards him.  
  
That didn't sound like it would be too hard. "T.V. sounds good."

Rachel's lips quirked upward slightly in the faint remnants of a smile and she flipped through a few channels before she settled on something for them to watch. Danny was there for her, a silent and steady companion as she concentrated on something besides her recent loss for the next hour.


End file.
